Maybe A Stupid Question ON Hydraulic Valve

[KCTractors]

I am redoing the hydraulics on a loader with single-acting cylinders now on the main lift, but will be adding double-acting cylinders for the bucket in the future, so can I use a two spool, double-acting valve with the one way lift cylinders just by using one port on the valve?
 

[John B.]

You can, but I would run a hose from the other port back to the reservoir because there will be a time that someone will pull or push the lever activating the port not hooked to anything.
 

[VicS]

You can, but will dead head your system every time you go down. Could plumb the dead headed line back into the hyd tank/tractor reservoir. On a New Generation John Deere (closed center hyd) won't make any difference. Vic
 

[Paul from MI]

You might look into an old style combine header control valve. Some of them are two spool valves in one housing--one is three-way for the lift cylinders and one is four-way for the bucket tilt cylinders. I use one on mine, but have no idea where it came from as it was on the loader when I bought it.
 

[redtom]

Find an old forklift valve body. Lift cyl is one way, tilt cyls are two way. I did that on an old VAC Case and it works great, although I'm only actually using the lift spool (trip bucket). Old forklifts are going to the scrap like crazy, might find one there or at a dealer.
 

[gene bender]

Use the one you are now for the single just add a two-way for the bucket.